Corner insert device

ABSTRACT

An insert for the outside corner of concrete floors or the like provides at least one exposed surface to permit attachment to a fastening element which, in turn, secures a wood, metal or concrete section relative to the floor or the like. To facilitate the attachment, a concrete void is created immediately behind the surface of the insert to which the fastening element is attached.

United States Patent Inventor Ignatius A. Chap Oak Lawn, Ill. Appl. No. 797,793 Filed Feb. 10, 1969 Patented Apr. 13, 1971 Assignee Illinois Tool Works, Inc. Chicago, Ill.

CORNER INSERT DEVICE 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 52/374, 52/293, 52/699 Int. Cl E04b 2/72, E04c 3/29 Field of Search 52/247, 274, 300, 367, 601; 52/374, 293, 699

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,668,842 5/ 1928 Dudfield et al. 52/374X Primary Examiner-Alfred C. Perham Attorneys-Roben W. Beart, Michael Kovac, Barry L. Clark and Jack R. Halvorsen ABSTRACT: An insert for the outside comer of concrete floors or the like provides at least one exposed surface to permit attachment to a fastening element which, in turn, secures a wood, metal or concrete section relative to the floor or the like. To facilitate the attachment, a concrete void is created immediately behind the surface of the insert to which the fastening element is attached.

Patented A ril 13, 1971 3,574,984

INVENTOR. A Ignatius A. Chap CORNER INSERT DEVICE In the construction of metal buildings, it is currently the practice for the concrete subcontractor to preset anchor bolts around the periphery of a concrete floor or slab prior to the setting or hardening thereof. At some point later in time when the concrete has hardened or become set, the steel erector installs L-shaped base angles to the anchor bolts around the periphery of the floor or slab to permit the metal sidewalls of the building to be attached to the upwardly extending portions of the L-shaped base angle. In this way, the metal sidewalls of the building are supported and held in the desired position relative to the concrete floor'or slab by the connecting L- shaped base angle therebetween.

These current construction techniques are time consuming, expensive, troublesome in installation, and difficult to coordinate between the various subcontractors on a construction site.

In the case of the concrete subcontractor, he must take the time, after the concrete has been poured and smoothed, to set anchor bolts in the prescribed fashion around the periphery of the concrete floor or slab. Since the concrete subcontractor does not have any responsibility for subsequent steel erection and sidewall installation, his interest in the proper and accurate positionment of the anchor bolts is not great. Further, it is difficult, by the very nature of the assembly of anchor bolts into concrete, to properly position and maintain the anchor bolts in the desired position after the concrete has set or hardened. Usually, it is desired to position the anchor bolts normal or perpendicular to the concrete floor or slab;

and those who have had experience with this will recognize that this is a difficult task to achieve.

Prior to the installation of the metal sidewalls of the building, the steel erector must install the L-shaped base angles to the anchor bolts. If the anchor bolts do not line up with the holes provided in the base angle, it will be necessary for the steel erector to cut appropriate holes therein, such as by a blowtorch or the like. Further, it is necessary for the steel erector to cut off the base angle at doorways, shipping entrances, and the like where there is no need for the base angle. When the base angle has been properly installed on the anchor bolts, complementary nuts must be threadably associated with the anchor bolts, and this becomes difficult where concrete has been splashed on the anchor bolts. or where rust has been created on the anchor bolts due to exposure to the weather elements.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a concrete insert device which overcomes the aforementioned difficulties.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a concrete insert device which is preset into the comer surfaces of a concrete floor or the like.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an insert, of the aforenoted type, which can be accurately and properly set as a corner element in a concrete floor or slab, and which requires no further preparation prior to the installation of the metal sidewalls of a building or the like thereto.

Other objects of the present invention include the provision of the concrete insert device of the above-described type which provides a clean and attractive comer appearance, provides more usable space in the building, eliminates the unsightly view of fasteners on the inside of the building, avoids the collection of dust or other undesirable foreign particles, is easy and inexpensive to install, is corrosive resistant, does not require expensive fastening elements to be used in connection therewith, and is otherwise well adapted for the purposes intended.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are attained by the provision of an insert device for the outside comer of a concrete floor or the like which includes a channel-shaped metal section having an end wall which is integrally connected to generally opposed depending leg portions, one of the leg portions being longer than the other one of said leg portions, the end wall and the longer depending leg portions being mounted in exposed relationship when embedded in a concrete floor or the like, each of the leg portions having means which prevent both lateral and vertical displacement when associated with a concrete floor or the like, and a secondary element within the channel-shaped metal section which is made from a material and is configured and arranged relative to the channel-shaped metal section to create a concrete void immediately behind the longer depending leg portion thereof while offering substantially no resistance to a fastening element driven therein during attachment to the longer depending leg portion of the channel-shaped metal section. 1

Reference is now made to the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a metal building construction subassembly which includes the corner insert device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end elevational view, partially in section, of the construction subassembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the primary element of the corner insert device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the primary element of the corner insert device depicted in FIG. 3.

In the attached drawing, there is shown a concrete insert device 10, including a primary generally channel-shaped section 12 and a secondary element 14 mounted therein, which is illustrated in FIGS. l2 as being secured by a concrete slab 16. The insert device 10, in turn, is depicted in FIGS. 12 as being capable of providing support for a wall section 18 by way of the fastener elements 20 which assemble the wall sections 18 to the channel-shaped metal section 12 of the insert device 10.

The installation that is shown in FIGS. l-2 of the drawing is preferred in the construction of metal buildings. The insert device 10 is arranged and positioned as shown to form the comer construction of a concrete floor or slab so as to provide exposed surfaces thereof. This will facilitate installation of a wall section 18 to the metal channel-shaped section 12 on the insert device, by way of the threaded fasteners 20 which are preferably of the self-drilling and tapping variety of the type described, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,l25,923.

The primary channel-shaped metal section 12 of the insert device 10 includes an upper end wall 22 which is integrally connected at opposite ends thereof to generally opposed.

depending leg portions 24, 26 respectively. It will be noted that the depending leg portion 26 is substantially longer than the depending leg portion 24 by approximately twice the length of the smaller leg portion 24, since the longer depending leg portion 26 is preferably utilized as an exposed surface or wall portion to which the meta building sides 18 are attached.

Each of the depending leg portions 24, 26 include foot portions which prevent lateral (swag) or vertical (slump) displacement relative to the concrete floor or slab. In particular, the leg portion 24 include an angularly offset foot portion 28 which is offset by an angle of approximately 45 relative to the plane containing the depending leg portion 24. The angularly offset foot portion 28 will cooperate with the depending leg portion 24 to resist lateral (swag) displacement from the concrete floor or the like and vertical (slump) displacement, as well as angular components thereof, as will be apparent. With respect to the longer depending leg portion 26, the laterally inwardly directed and angularly offset foot portions 30, 32 respectively cooperate in the same way to limit lateral, vertical and other component displacements thereof relative to the concrete floor 16 or the like.

The foot portion 28 extends beyond the extremity of the end wall 22 and foot portion 32 extends beyond the extremity of sidewall or leg 26. Leg portion 24 is advantageously positioned normal to the plane of end wall 22. Likewise, the foot portion 30 is positioned normal to dependent leg 26. This positioning of portions 22 and 30 provides a complete layer of concrete to be positioned over the respective foot portions, i.e., 28 and 32. With this arrangement, the pullout resistance in the vertical and lateral directions is increased. The absence of a complete layer of concrete over the foot portion would increase the possibility of the concrete fracturing at the juncture of either 22 and 24, or 26 and 30.

To further enhance the nondisplaceable mounting characteristics of the channel-shaped metal section, elliptical or other shaped openings 34, 36 may be provided in the depending legs 24, 26 respectively generally in the vicinity of the foot portions 28 and 30, 32 of the depending legs 24, 26 respectively. This will enable the concrete to be deposited within the openings when the insert device is mounted in the concrete floor 16 or the like, so as to further inhibit any displacement or separation of the insert device relative to the concrete floor 16 or the like.

in order to permit rapid and simple installation of the metal wall sections 18 to the insert device, it is important that no concrete be found behind the depending leg portion 26 in the area thereof to which self-drilling and tapping fasteners or the like are used to mount the metal wall sections 18 to the insert device 10. This important advantage has been described in companion, copending application Ser. No. 742,437 filed Jul. 3, 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,545,152 which is assigned to the same assignee of the present invention. As described in the above-mentioned application, it has been found desirable to provide a secondary element 14 within the channel-shaped section 12, which secondary element is made from a material and is configured and arranged relative to the section 12 so as to create a concrete void immediately behind the surface to which fastening devices are secured, and at the same time offers substantially no resistance to the fastening elements driven therein. Although the secondary element 14 can be configured and made from any material which will provide the mounting and concrete void features just mentioned, it has been found that a lightweight, closed cell structure such as foamed polystyrene block material adequately meets the requirements and is the preferred material. It will be recognized, of course, that many other constructions and materials will yield the concrete void features which are one of the important attributes and ingredients in achieving a functional insert device as in the present invention.

The channel-shaped section 12 is preferably made from sheet steel, such as MS] l0l0 in suitable thicknesses as desired; however, it will be recognized that other materials which will provide adequate walls and surfaces for attachment to other sections may be used as desired. Although the channel-shaped metal section is preferably roll formed into elongated metal strips for use around the periphery of a metal building as previously described, it is also contemplated that short sections may be provided by stamping or other manufacturing techniques.

The installation of the insert device 10, within a concrete floor 16 or the like as illustrated in the drawing, is accomplished by nailing or otherwise securing the insert device 10, such as through aligned nail holes 38 in the opposed depending leg or sidewall portions 24, 26 to a temporary plywood fonn or the like prior to the concrete being poured. Other than leveling the insert device and securing it to the concrete form, little additional effort is required. if nails are used, they are preferably of the breakoff variety so thatin removing the concrete forms, there will be no pointed elements protruding from the insert device 10.

When embedded in the concrete floor l6 or the like, it is necessary for the longer depending or sidewall leg portion 26 to be exposed for subsequent attachment to the metal building wall sections 18. Although not necessary, the end wall 22 will probably also be exposed in a majority of cases, and if desired, other construction elements may be attached to this particular wall.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the concrete insert device of the present invention avoids the troublesome construction techniques which have been used in the erection of metal wall sections to a concrete floor or slab or the like,

with the attendant expense and time involved, by providinla faci itates e unique component which enhances and assembly of wall sections to a concrete floor or slab while providing an attractive system which creates more usable space in the building than has been possible.

lclaim:

I. An insert for the outside corner of concrete floors or the like, comprising a channel-shaped metal section including an end wall and sidewall integrally connected in planes substantially normal to one another, said end wall and sidewall mounted in exposed relationship when the insert is embedded along the corner surfaces of a concrete floor or the like, each of said end and sidewalls including means for retaining the insert in the concrete to prevent lateral and vertical displacement relative to the concrete, each retaining means comprising foot means which are attached to the free extremities of the end and sidewalls, each said foot means being first substantially normally directed relative to the end or sidewall to which it is attached and then flaring outwardly from said normally directed foot portions at an obtuse angle relative thereto, and a secondary element within the channelshaped element which is made from a material and configured and arranged relative to the channel-shaped element to create a concrete void immediately behind each wall so as to offer substantially no resistance to a fastening element driven therein dun'ng attachment to the channel-shaped element.

2. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein at least the outwardly flared foot portions include openings formed therein into which concrete or the like is capable of being deposited to securely lock the insert relative to the concrete floor or the like.

3. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein small aligned openings are provided in the substantially normally directed foot portion and the sidewall which is parallel thereto to permit a nail or the like to be driven therein'for attachment to a wood fonn prior to the pouring and setting of concrete or the like.

4. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein the channelshaped metal section comprises a one-piece elongated metal strip.

5. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein the secondary element comprises a lightweight, closed cell structure made of foam plastic material.

6. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein the outwardly flared foot portions of the end and sidewalls are generally parallel to each other.

7. The insert as defined in claim 6 wherein the distance between the outwardly flared foot portions is less than the vertical height of the secondary element to retain the secondary element within the channel-shaped metal section. 

1. An insert for the outside corner of concrete floors or the like, comprising a channel-shaped metal section including an end wall and sidewall integrally connected in planes substantially normal to one another, said end wall and sidewall mounted in exposed relationship when the insert is embedded along the corner surfaces of a concrete floor or the like, each of said end and sidewalls including means for retaining the insert in the concrete to prevent lateral and vertical displacement relative to the concrete, each retaining means comprising foot means which are attached to the free extremities of the end and sidewalls, each said foot means being first substantially normally directed relative to the end or sidewall to which it is attached and then flaring outwardly from said normally directed foot portions at an obtuse angle relative thereto, and a secondary element within the channel-shaped element which is made from a material and configured and arranged relative to the channel-shaped element to create a concrete void immediately behind each wall so as to offer substantially no resistance to a fastening element driven therein during attachment to the channel-shaped element.
 2. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein at least the outwardly flared foot portions include openings formed therein into which concrete or the like is capable of being deposited to securely lock the insert relative to the concrete floor or the like.
 3. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein small aligned openings are provided in the substantially normally directed foot portion and the sidewall which is parallel thereto to permit a nail or the like to be driven therein for attachment to a wood form prior to the pouring and setting of concrete or the like.
 4. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein the channel-shaped metal section comprises a one-piece elongated metal strip.
 5. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein the secondary element comprises a lightweight, closed celL structure made of foam plastic material.
 6. The insert as defined in claim 1 wherein the outwardly flared foot portions of the end and sidewalls are generally parallel to each other.
 7. The insert as defined in claim 6 wherein the distance between the outwardly flared foot portions is less than the vertical height of the secondary element to retain the secondary element within the channel-shaped metal section. 